Ophthalmological method

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to medicinal compositions suitable for use in treating diseases of the retina and processes for producing the compositions which are effective for causal therapy of ophthalmological disorders especially macular degeneration of the retina.

This is a continuation-in-part application of my pending applicationSer. No. 463,059 filed 04/19/74 which is a continuation-in-partapplication of my application Ser. No. 343,094 filed 03/20/73 which is acontinuation-in-part application of my application Ser. No. 87,292 filed11/05/70 which is a continuation-in-part application of my originalapplication Ser. No. 574,903 filed Aug. 25, 1966, all abandoned.

DESCRIPTION

The invention relates to medicinal compositions suitable for use intreating diseases of the retina and more particularly to suchcompositions which are effective for the causal therapy of maculardegenerations of the retina and of disturbances of the color sense. Ihave found that, prolonged administration of dimethylmaleic anddimethylfumaric acid and pharmaceutically acceptable salts and estersthereof to patients suffering from diseases of the retina, especiallymacular degeneration, brings about a clear improvement in eyesight.

Each of the compounds, dimethylmaleic acid or dimethylfumaric acid, maybe used per se or preferably may be used in combination in pure form oras pharmaceutically acceptable salts and/or esters thereof as forexample the sodium salts.

The compounds were tested in animal toxicity. It was shown that there isno practically toxicity at all. There is also evidence of healthy humanpersons who have voluntarily taken the compounds for weeks or monthswithout any bad side effects. And there is also evidence of a patientsuffering from macular degeneration who has taken the preparationwithout any interruptions daily since the year of 1965 until today andwho is now in her 91st year of life.

Patients, so far treated with these compounds, were cases where theforegoing conventional therapy failed to stop the progress of thedisease. They were nearly blind people who had lost most of theireyesight. This to be kept in mind judging the measured improvementreached in these cases.

    ______________________________________                                        normal eyesight 1.0                                                           initials of before        after this treatment                                Patients name                                                                             right eye                                                                              left eye right eye                                                                            left eye                                 ______________________________________                                        T.D.        0.03     0.06     0.1    0.1                                      A.P.        0.04     0.04     0.1    0.1                                      G.R.        0.03     0.03     0.04   0.04                                     M.S.        0.02. 0.02                                                                             0.04     0.04                                            J.K.        0.1      0.02     0.3    0.02                                     R.S.        0.05     0.05     0.15   0.15                                     ______________________________________                                    

The dosage is 0.2 - 8.0 gram of active compounds. The average dosage foradult persons is 2.0 - 4.0 gram of dimethylmaleic or dimethylfumaricacid, respectively 1.0 - 2.0 gram of dimethylmaleic and 1.0 - 2.0 gramof dimethylfumaric acid.

Method of administration is preferably the oral one.

What is said of dimethylmaleic acid is also true ofdimethylmaleicanhydride as this easily transforms with water intodimethylmaleic acid.

1. A method of treating macular degeneration of the retina in a patientcomprising orally administering thereto 0.2 - 8.0 gms of dimethylmaleicanhydride, dimethylmaleic acid, dimethylfumaric acid or a sodium saltthereof.